06.30.06 (RockAndMetal.com) UK godfathers of Grindcore NAPALM DEATH have finished recording "Smear Campaign," the follow-up to last year's "The Code Is Red...Long Live The Code." Reporting on the Foel Studios recording sessions, vocalist Barney Greenway said: "We just spent a few weeks again in the studio in Wales where we recorded 'The Code...,' which was obviously such a good experience that we decided to return. While we were not trying to compete with 'The Code...,' or make the same album again, it has to be said that 'Smear Campaign sounds' twice as immense. We didn't fuck around getting the songs together but somehow 'Smear Campaign' seems to come across as a more in-depth experience. "It was very cool that Anneke from The Gathering offered to sing on the album. It's really funny, because we never would have thought about having guest vocals before 'The Code...,' but every vocalist worked well with the song they contributed to. Anneke's style is clearly very different to that of, for example, Jello Biafra but what she does totally enhances the experience. It sounds pretty spooky. Regarding the lyrics, I guess people know about the album title now, but to give a brief explanation the general thread is actually a question asking why exactly we need religion to give us a basis on how to run our lives. Can we not be trusted as human beings to make our own decisions? This applies in my eyes to everything from Christianity to Paganism to Satanism. Surely the world would be more peaceful without religious restrictions and all this false morality!" Song titles from "Smear Campaign" that can be revealed are: 'Rabid Wolves (For Christ),' 'In Deference,' 'Atheist Runt,' 'When All Is Said And Done,' 'Sink Fast, Let Go,' 'Shattered Existence,' 'Fatalist,' and 'Call That An Option?' Set for release via Century Media Records, Napalm Death's "Smear Campaign" release is slated for September 18th and September 19th in North America. Having completed the new album, the band will soon be hitting some European Summer festivals, delivering their usual dose of utter violent Grindcore intensity.
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06.29.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Swedish Thrash titans THE HAUNTED have just completed the recording process for the follow-up to 2004's "rEVOLVEr" album. The new effort was recorded in Denmark at Antfarm Studios with renowned producer Tue Madsen (Himsa, Kataklysm), with whom the group spent months working on the new material pushing themselves to create something unique that combines certain elements of their previous efforts, while ultimately forging ahead in new, unexplored directions. An announcement in regards to the title of the new album and its release date will follow over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, Peter Dolving (vocals) checks in with the following post studio report: "Oh, the power of the internet and wireless computers. I'm currently sitting on the john writing this report thinking about all you good folks out there, while my kids are watching cartoons in the living room. We just finished a new album and I gotta say, I'm proud as fuck. It's bigger, better, madder and thicker. Hell, that's the weird part with the album business - how the hell to describe what you've just done. Anyway, it rocks. Big time. Really. Per (drums) told me at rehearsals a couple of days ago,'If I died tomorrow I couldn't be more satisfied so if people don't like it, fuck them.' I couldn't agree more. We started writing around Ozzfest last year, bouncing around ideas, recording anything that came to mind without the old 'more or less metal' filter, and pretty much knew that we wanted to do something we'd just touched upon with our previous four albums. This album is simply more diverse, dynamic and heavy as fuck. Bands like Trouble, Autopsy, Ganx, Masters Of The Universe, King Crimson and early Metallica have all really had a great influence on us as a band, and I think this album really draws a lot in color from those artists. We are now putting the artwork together with Manne Andreasson, a bearded weirdo and a dear friend or ours. Working with Tue Madsen's been great, too. The dude is down-to-earth man, and working with someone who's got his shit together like that is a joy. I think we've managed to find an immense sound: the drums are clearer, heavier and less processed, and we've even got acoustic guitars, congas, strings and loads of weird noise manipulations going on.
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06.28.06 (RockAndMetal.com) SHADOWS FALL have returned with their much-anticipated new release, "Fallout From The War," which had a strong first week at retail entering the Billboard Top 200 chart at #83 and SoundScanning over 12,700 copies. The album's sessions were again produced and mixed by long-time friend, Zeuss (Hatebreed, God Forbid), at Planet Z Studios in the band's home state of Massachusetts. Brian Fair (vocals) checks in with the following report: "I just wanted to take a minute to thank all of our fans that went out and picked up our new album, 'Fallout From The War.' The support is most appreciated. We are getting ready to head back out on the road for the first time in a long time. This year's Strhess Tour is going to be sick and I for one can't wait to get back onstage to rock out with all of our friends across the country. This is the only tour we will be doing this year, so we want everyone to come out and throw it down with us before we have to lock ourselves back in the studio. We have been getting a setlist together and plan on adding some new songs from the new record into the set, as well as playing a few older songs that we have not busted out onstage for awhile. Paul [Romanko] and I just were just up at the MTV studios with Jamey Jasta filming an interview piece for Headbangers Ball and they had the tribute to Dimebag Six String Masterpiece collection on the set. It was definitely an unreal sight to behold. They are all Dean guitars that different artists and musicians custom decorated as a memorial to the memory of the one and only Dimebag Darrell. You don't want to miss this, and our new video for 'In Effigy' will also make its television debut, so keep an eye out. It is a great performance video that captures the vibe well by just focusing on the band and the pure intensity of the song. Hope to see everyone on the road soon." "Fallout From The War" follows the group's most acclaimed disc to date, "The War Within," which originally debut at #20 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, has gone on to sell over 250,000 units in the U.S. alone, and features the Active Rock hit and Grammy-nominated track 'What Drives The Weak.'
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06.28.06 (AP) GENE SIMMONS of Kiss has settled a defamation lawsuit brought against him by a former girlfriend who charged that he made her sound like a "sex-addicted nymphomaniac" during a documentary shown on VH1. The settlement, announced Wednesday, said the "amicable resolution" of Georgeann Walsh Ward's lawsuit over the way she was portrayed in the documentary "When Kiss Ruled The World" involved no payment of money to her. Ward, 53, was a girlfriend of Simmons' in the 1970s. She filed the lawsuit in January 2005, alleging that the documentary defamed her by juxtaposing Simmons' commentary about himself with photographs that included her. The settlement of Ward's lawsuit, announced by Simmons spokesman Stan Rosenfield, includes recognition by her that the rocker played no role in the production, editing or selection and inclusion of her photographs in the documentary. The documentary chronicled the band's 30-year career, its impact on Rock music and the its "wild" antics during a career that produced hits such as 'Rock And Roll All Nite' and 'Detroit Rock City.' Simmons says during the show, "There wasn't a girl that was off limits, and I enjoyed every one of them," Ward's court papers say. They say photos of her appeared 11 times during the documentary, which was shown on the cable television music network several times in July and August 2004. In it, Simmons claimed to have had sexual encounters with 4,600 women. Simmons says in the documentary, "I was a 24-hour whore. All I ever thought about was sex." This, court papers say, was followed by a photo of Ward with him. Ward's papers say that because a photo of her with Simmons - though her name is never mentioned - was shown during remarks about his sexual adventures, she was in effect portrayed as "wild" and "unchaste." Simmons denied that any inferences suggested by Ward could be reasonably drawn or understood from the documentary. "I value my early relationship with Ms. Ward and wish her well," Simmons said in the announcement. "My quotes in the documentary that Ms. Ward took issue with were solely about me, not Ms. Ward or anyone else."
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06.27.06 (RockAndMetal.com) ARCH ENEMY will release their first DVD, "Live Apocalypse, on August 8th," which is chock-full of live footage, in-depth interviews and promotional video clips. The group are currently in the midst of the European festival season and will make their return to the U.S. late summer in support of their new album, "Doomsday Machine," which debuted at #87 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and recently surpassed the 70,000 U.S. SoundScan plateau. Mike Amott (guitars) checks in with the following report: "Hail Arch Enemy fans! Just want to drop a few lines and thank everyone who came out and had fun with Arch Enemy at the Sweden Rock and Download festivals and what a great time it was. After our show at Sweden Rock, which went surprisingly well with only a few technical problems (standard procedure at festivals), we had to pack our gear together quickly and race down the highway to Copenhagen Airport for an evening flight to the UK to play the Download Festival in the early afternoon the next day. The Arch Enemy show there also went well, although much shorter than what we normally play at festivals - only 30 minutes, we made a big impact. They told us that we had 40,000 people in the audience when we played - that's the biggest show we've ever played! The total capacity at Download was 65,000 and it was sold-out, I watched the Metallica set from the side of the stage and they opened up with 'Creeping Death' and you gotta love that. We hung out with friends (seemed like I knew everyone there) and did a signing session at the Kerrang! tent (amazing) and few of us even stayed on for the Metal Hammer awards in London on Monday. After that we were pretty wrecked and have spent the last few days picking up the pieces. Basically, we enjoyed perfect summer weather and strong shows at both performances - good start to our European festival summer! Next up, is Hellfest (France) and Graspop (Belgium) and we are headlining the 2nd stage at both these festivals and we are prepared to blow these up - be there or be, well...not metal."
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06.26.06 (RockAndMetal.com) "Darker Days Ahead," the long-awaited, much-anticipated second album from legendary Los Angeles Grindcore and Death Metal pioneers TERRORIZER, will be released on August 22nd via Century Media. With an aggression and ferocity until then unheard the band took the scene by storm with the 1989 release of their highly acclaimed and genre-defining debut album, "World Downfall" (Earache Records). The album installed the band as a cult institution despite their prompt disbanding, and the musicians went on to concentrate on their future main bands. Jesse Pintado (guitars) with Napalm Death and Lock Up, David Vincent (bass) with Morbid Angel, Pete Sandoval (drums) with Morbid Angel and . With "World Downfall," Terrorizer created the Reign In Blood of Grindcore inspiring a generation of bands, their popularity never waning through these intervening years. The massive amount of available bootleg recordings and band merchandise, as well as rumors of a follow-up album, kept the Terrorizer name alive. The eleven new tracks, as well as a new version of the band's classic "Dead Shall Rise" now entitled "Dead Shall Rise V.06", were recorded at Juan "Punchy" Gonzalez' DOW Studios (Morbid Angel, Christian Death) resulting in a more mature, sinister piece of Death/Grind - fueled with contempt and a harsh outlook on the status of our present and future world. "Darker Days Ahead" is trademarked by Jesse Pintado's and Tony Norman's (Morbid Angel, ex-Monstrosity) unmistakably feral sounding guitar tone and Pete Sandoval's skin-flaying blast beats. Joined by vocalist Anthony Rezhawk (Resistant Culture), who renders an outstanding performance, Terrorizer unleash a brutal new tempest in "Darker Days Ahead." The band have also launched a new official website which is still under construction at present over at www.terrorizer.us.
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06.23.06 (RockAndMetal.com) LACUNA COIL will make their much-anticipated return to the U.S. on June 29th as part of this year's Ozzfest main stage lineup. The massive summer trek will also coincide with the release of the band's new single 'Enjoy The Silence,' which will impact commercial radio on July 11th. The video for the track, completed by the directorial team Fort Awesome, who also shot the group's acclaimed 'Our Truth' clip, will make its debut that same week. Since its release, Lacuna Coil's new album, "Karmacode," has SoundScanned over 100,000 units and spent a total of eight weeks on the Billboard Top 200 chart. The album's success can be partly contributed to the strength of 'Our Truth,' the lead-off single, and an impressive live television performance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," which took place last month. The track was added by over 75 Commercial Rock and Alternative Radio outlets (and played by well over 125 Commercial Outlets), becoming a Top 30 Active Rock single while spending over 2 1/2 months on the Top 40 Active Rock Radio Chart and reaching a monitored Arbitron audience of over 11 million listeners. Lacuna Coil have also scheduled a number of high profile off-dates this summer with the likes of Avenged Sevenfold and Disturbed, among others. The band's Andrea Ferro (male vocals) checks in with the following report: "Hi everyone, just checkin' in from home. We are almost done with our round of European festivals, and it's really been a blast! Some shows we played in front of some of the biggest crowds we've ever seen, and with so many of our favorite bands. The summer is finally kickin' in and things are looking great for us since we will be performing on the main stage of Ozzfest this year. I clearly remember what happened in 2004 when this new band from Italy first had the pleasure of taking part in this mythical event. We couldn't believe we were really going to spend the Summer playing in the U.S. in front of so many people each day while being able to hang out with all those icons. It really was a dream come true! To be back this year on the main stage is once again something very unexpected, and a true honor for us. We hope to see ya all there ready to jump and sing along with the new songs. See you all very soon."
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06.22.06 (RockAndMetal.com) The five-pronged jackhammer of Thrash and Death Metal ferocity that is HATESPHERE are about to unleash a new attack in "The Sickness Within," their upcoming full-length album for SPV Recordings, which is due for release September 12th. The new offering delivers a multitiude of sounds that cracks the foundations from beginning to end, with last year's "The Killing EP" a harbinger of things to come. "We love this kind of music. It's as simple as that," says Hatesphere vocalist Jacob Bredahl. "But in saying that, there always has to be a balance between heavy, insanity and melody." That self-inflicted goal has clearly been met on "The Sickness Within." The band's many influences -- ranging from old-school Thrash, Hardcore, Rock and Death Metal all the way to merciless technical Brutal Death Metal a la Suffocation -- can all be heard on the new release, album #4 for this Danish band. The deadly mixture that has come to be known as the Hatesphere signature sound has not only made its way through headbanging fan circles, but many of their Metal colleagues also hold them in high regard. In fact, Nevermore guitarist Steve Smyth was so taken by the band's music (not to mention their energy-loaded live performances) that he offered to throw in a killer solo for the album's closer, 'Marked By Darkness.' "The Sickness Within" is also hailing fast skull-crushers from start to finish. Tracks like 'The White Fever,' 'Heaven's Ready To Fall,' 'Murderous Intent' and 'The Coming Of Chaos' are all absolutely punishing. Hatesphere have always pushed the envelope instead of copying themselves or totally stepping back from their songwriting. Since 2001, the prolific five-piece -- in their current lineup of vocalist Bredahl, guitarists Peter Lyse Hansen and Henrik Bastrup Jacobsen, bassist Mikael Ehlert and drummer Anders Gyldenohr -- have been shaking the walls of the world by throwing consistent right hooks to the jaw of the international Metal community originating out of the quiet town of Aarhus, Denmark.
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06.21.06 (RockAndMetal.com) August 28th will see the release of "Deaf To Our Prayers," the long awaited follow-up to Scandinavian band HEAVEN SHALL BURN's highly-acclaimed 2004 album, "Antigone." "Finally, we are holding the Masters for our new CD 'Deaf To Our Prayers' in our hands, and we are pretty certain that we've recorded an album that'll be a more than worthy successor for 'Antigone'," says guitarist Maik Weichert. The recording of "Deaf To Our Prayers" was done at Rape Of Harmonies Studios in Thuringen. "Patrick W. Engel and Ralf Muller have added their share another time and we cannot picture working on an album without them." For the first time they used Jacob Hansen and his Hansen Studios for the mix. "We had a great time in Ribe, the oldest city in Denmark, and worked extremely hard on getting the maximum out of the new songs. Right from the beginning of the writing process we had the vision to record a raw and direct album. I think 'Deaf To Our Prayers' is a lot more brutal than 'Antigone,' while still having some mid-tempo passages. Simply 100% HSB!" As on their previous albums, Haven Shall Burn don't just have intense music to offer, but also food for thought. "The title 'Deaf To Our Prayers' is influenced by a line from a poem by Heinrich Heine that dealt with the situation of industrial workers from Silesia in the 19th century. Other songs like 'Of No Avail' or 'The Final March' were influenced by Gerhard Hauptmann's drama, 'The Weavers.' Especially the situation of the workers in the 19th century, the so-called Industrial Revolution, shows oppressive parallels to current developments in our society that's highly affected by globalization," says Weichert. "Deaf To Our Prayers" also deals with other historical themes. "'Armia,' for example is about the hopeless, 64-day fight that Polish partisans fought against the occupying power in the battle of Warsaw in August 1944. Again, we stayed away from topics such as heartache, problems with parents and 'I'll kill every single one of you.' We know that there are people out there who want to use their heads for banging AND thinking - that's what we are about."
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06.20.06 (RockAndMetal.com) IRON MAIDEN will release their next studio album, entitled "A Matter Of Life And Death," on September 5th via Sanctuary Records. The band started writing songs at the end of 2005 after a short break from their hugely successful festival appearances in Europe and the USA. The songs were completed and rehearsed when the band got together after Christmas to work with producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley at Sarm West Studios in London to start in on recording the backing tracks. Kevin Shirley has now co-produced three of the band's studio albums alongside Steve Harris, as well as two of their recent live DVDs and albums. Says Shirley: "The Beast is back!" He continues: "I feel from the outset we all clicked on this one. We spent two months in the studio - from Nicko's "tubs up" to final mixes and sequenced master. That's a tiny gestation period for an album. Producing Iron Maiden is like driving one of those mammoth automatons from Star Wars. There's nothing that can stop it!" As on previous projects, all of the tracks were performed live and together in one room. Says Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris: "I think in many ways this has been the easiest album, in terms of recording, that we've ever done. The whole process of writing through to recording was very natural. I also think in terms of the material, we've pushed our boundaries yet again, which I think will please our fans, but also really surprise a lot of people as well. The sound we've managed to get is very powerful for a Maiden record and all of us have pushed ourselves in our own ways to create something that we're all immensely proud of. I think working as quickly as we did with Kevin was part of that process. We simply can't wait to take this out on the road. We've played some great shows and had a lot fun introducing some of our older songs to a new generation of fans. However for us, personally, we're incredibly excited about getting out and performing these new tracks." Says Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson: "This album has to be our best one since we began working with Kevin. There is such a wide scope of musicianship, and in parts this album is truly epic. I thought with the likes of 'Paschendale,' from the last studio album, that we could only hope to surpass that. Having now heard the album back, as well as sitting with a few select people and hearing their reactions, I truly believe we have managed it. Every one of us has put everything into this record and it has really paid off. We've had such fun making it that it's almost difficult to believe what we've managed to achieve in the time it took."
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06.19.06 (RockAndMetal.com) One of Germany's most unique bands, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, will embark on an extensive tour in September to promote their new album "Riders On The Storm," which will be released August 25th via Nuclear Blast Records. Prior to that, Die Apokalyptischen Reiter are slated to play several open air festivals during the months of July and August. Those dates -- including the "Riders On The Storm" support dates -- follow: July 8th Schleif, Luxembourg Rock [Am Eislek Festival] • July 14th Ottersdorf, Germany [Ottersdorf Open Air] • July 15th Osnabruck, Germany [Eastside Festival] • July 15th Neukirchen, Germany [Dong Open Air] • July 21th Kreuth, Germany [Earthshaker Open Air] • July 22th Saara, Germany [Rock Im Zelt] • August 5th Wacken, Germany [Wacken Open Air] • August 5th Pratteln, Switzerland [Metal Days] • August 26th Wuppertal, Germany [Feuertal Festival] • September 6th Berlin, Germany [Kesselhaus] • September 7th Rostock, Germany [Mauclub] • September 8th Erfurt, Germany [Club Centrum] • September 9th Andernach, Germany [JUZ Live Club] • September 10th Hannover, Germany [Faust] • September 12th Bochum, Germany [Matrix] • September 13th Koln, Germany [Underground] • September 14th Karlsruhe, Germany [Substage] • September 15th Kaiserslautern, Germany [Kammgarn] • September 16th Hamburg, Germany [Grunspan] • September 17th Frankfurt, Germany [Batschkapp] • September 19th Bielefeld, Germany [Forum] • September 20th Nurnberg, Germany [Hirsch] • September 21st Munchen, Germany [Backstage] • September 22nd Worgl, Austria [Komma] • September 23rd Traun, Austria [Spinnerei] • September 24th Wien, Austria [Arena] • September 26th Stuttgart, Germany [Die Rohre] • September 27th Heidelberg, Germany [Schwimmbad Music Club] • September 28th Freiburg, Germany [Jazzhaus] • September 29th Winterthur, Switzerland [Salzhaus] • September 30th Bern, Switzerland [Gaskessel] • December 9th Glauchau, Germany [Alte Spinnerei]
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06.16.06 (RockAndMetal.com) BIOMECHANICAL have returned home, fresh off the heels of a successful European tour with Earache labelmates Decapitated. The band gives "huge thanks for the tour to Decapitated for putting us on" and state that "it was awesome touring with those guys and we can tell any Decapitated fan these are the nicest guys around." Biomechanical enjoyed a highly successful tour in support of their latest effort, "The Empires Of The Worlds," and brought their unique blend of futuristic, booming metal to the eager masses. Dom Lawson filled in on bass for the tour and did an excellent job holding down the crowd and bumping the savage Metal madness. The band are currently beginning to sketch out musical ideas for their third album, tentatively titled "Cannibalised," which is set to conclude the story mapped out through their first two releases. Biomechanical will not only play at this year's Uxfest on Sunday, August 6th, but will also feature in the "Uxfest Calendar 2007." A few weeks ago, the Uxfest crew were trying to persuade the band to wear bikinis in the calendar, which will feature many of the bands at Uxfest this year. Biomechanical did not consent to wearing the bikinis themselves, but commented that they would be more than happy to pose with beautiful women in swimwear to raise money for charity. Bassist Jon Collins said: "Although I've been working out, I don't think the public is ready for me in Speedos yet." Signed to Earache records Biomechanical feature one of the best guitar duos in the country. Biomechanical are also confirmed for the End Of Days festival, which will take place at Pontins Holiday Complex, Hemsby, Great Yarmouth between October 13th-15th, where the band will join Raging Speedhorn, Mendeed, Architects and Centiment on Friday, October 13th. Other bands confirmed to appear at the End Of Days festival over the other two days include Stampin' Ground, Engerica, Your Code Name Is: Milo, Panic Cell, Forever Never and The Morenas. The event also includes an Exposure stage sponsored by Rock Sound featuring 10 top new bands chosen by an industry panel.
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06.16.06 (RockAndMetal.com) If it weren't for STONE SOUR vocalist Corey Taylor's wife, Scarlett, there might never have been a second album from the band. She didn't exactly encourage the Slipknot frontman to return to the studio with his side project - she just prevented him from doing himself in before the record was written. "I tried to jump off the balcony of the eighth floor of the Hyatt on Sunset [Boulevard] on November 14th, 2003," Taylor explained. "Somehow she stopped me. It wasn't the first time I tried to kill myself, either." Back then, Taylor was a full-blown alcoholic. He drank from the moment he woke up to the second he blacked out, and while he says drinking didn't impair his ability to write, play and perform, it destroyed almost everything else in his life. "I would disappear for long periods with no regard for my own safety or anyone else's," he said. "I wouldn't even know where I was until the next morning. I didn't care about myself, my family, anything. I'd just remember being at a bar, and then all of a sudden - nothing." After Taylor's near-suicide, his wife gave him an ultimatum: either he sober up and become a dedicated husband and father, or she was taking their two kids and leaving. It wasn't the first time she'd made such a threat - but this time he knew she meant it, and for the first time in his life he felt the urge to change. "I took a good, long look in the mirror and I hated what I saw," he said. "I was very bloated, I looked like crap. It wasn't me. And that was it. I haven't touched a drop since." Stone Sour's new album, "Come What(ever) May," which is due in August, is stocked with ruminations about Taylor's drinking days and confessions about his road to recovery. "The first year I was sober was probably the worst year of my life," Taylor continued. "My immune system was screwed. I completely isolated myself. I was weak all the time. I didn't know who I was. Sometimes you define yourself by your vices, and I was known as the partyer. I was the guy that was always ready to go out and do shots. And all of a sudden, I had to figure out who I was without that, and it took me a long time. I pushed my wife away for a while and was a really selfish, cold dick." It was only after Taylor stopped lamenting the loss of his former life that he realized being sober wasn't a creative limitation. Suddenly, he felt more alive, more motivated and far less cynical. "I came to the realization that I'm more interested in doing good than bad," he said. "I'm more interested in helping people. And that was a big step. Every day I just got stronger and, unfortunately, more honest. I just decided I was sick of pulling punches."
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06.15.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Metal Blade Records recording artists FOREVER IN TERROR will commence an 8-week tour at the end of the month beginning with Murder No Motive and This Moment through the end of July, after which they will continue on through the end of August with Years Of Desolation and Cerberus. The band, who's sound is a mix of modern day Metal, Black Metal and Thrash, began just over three years ago in Streetsboro, Ohio and went by the name 7th Plague up until recently. Earlier this year, Forever In Terror accepted a recording deal offer from Metal Blade, commenting: "We are completely elated about the signing and what is to come for us in the near future. All of us are only seventeen years old and we are still having trouble accepting the fact that our dreams are coming true at such a young age. We are young, but we are humble, and we want fans of NWOAHM to judge the music not the age," stated Borukhovsky. 06/27 Herrin, IL [Herrin Teen Town] • 06/29 Lewisville, TX [Fat Daddy's Sound Shack] • 06/30 El Paso, TX [Chic's Billiards] • 07/01 Phoenix, AZ [Metal Devastation 2] • 07/02 Imperial Beach, CA [Imperial Beach Club] • 07/03 San Marcos, CA [The Jumping Turtle] • 07/06 Bakersfield, CA [Jerry's Pizza] • 07/07 San Francisco, CA [The Pound] • 07/10 El Paso, TX [Chic's] • 07/12 Oklahoma City, OK [The Glasnot] • 07/13 Kansas City, MO [El Torreon] • 07/29 Indianapolis, IN [American Legion Hall] • 07/30 Louisville, KY [Headliners] • 08/01 Nashville, TN [The End] • 08/02 Metairie, LA [The High Ground] • 08/03 Jacksonville, FL [The French Quarter] • 08/04 Holly Hill, FL [The Sports Page] • 08/05 Hinesville, GA [Little Ricky's] • 08/06 Summerville, SC [Summerville Legion Hall] • 08/10 Wilkes-Barre, PA [Backstage Enterprises] • 08/12 Staten Island, NY [Dock Street Bar] • 08/13 Wallingford, CT [American Legion Hall] • 08/14 Burlington, VT [Oddfellows] • 08/16 Buffalo, NY [Club Infinity] • 08/17 Kent, OH [Screwy Louie's] • 08/18 South Gate, MI [Modern Exchange] • 08/19 St Paul, MN [Station 4] • 08/20 Moorhead, MN [All Star Bowl] • 08/22 Spokane, WA [The BLVD] • 08/23 Seattle, WA [Studio Seven] • 08/24 Portland, OR [Rock N Roll Pizza] • 08/25 Sacramento, CA [On the Y] • 08/26 Paso Robles, CA [Masonic Temple] • 08/28 Phoenix, AZ [Metal Devastation 2] • 08/29 El Paso, TX [Chic's] • 08/30 San Antonio, TX [White Rabbit] • 08/31 Austin, TX [The Red Rum Club]
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06.15.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Hardcore outfit INKED IN BLOOD have kicked off a six-week tour alongside Scars Of Tomorrow, Calico System, Drop Dead Gorgeous, and later Nodes Of Ranvier, The Warriors, and Society's Finest in support of their current album for Facedown Records, entitled "Lay Waste The Poets." With heavy hitters like Himsa and Champion leading the way, striving to be a successful, up-and-coming Hardcore band in the Pacific Northwest these days is no easy task. Some might even say it's a fruitless endeavor. Inked In Blood, however, beg to differ. The boys in the band refuse to back down to their predecessors, and like a stubborn bulldog that fights when the odds are stacked against it, they proceed in the face of adversity. In the Spring of 2004, Inked In Blood dropped a melodic Hardcore bomb on an unsuspecting public with the release of their "Awakening Vesuvius" EP. With lyrics that reach far beyond the typical "teen angst" issues, Inked In Blood strive to reach their audiences with concepts such as humility, humanity, compassion and life as process, not as product. With their motto of "hit 'em hard and hit 'em fast," be prepared for live acrobatic stage antics with plenty of finger-points, pileups and breakdowns. Tour Dates: 06/15 Hamden, CT [Elks Lodge] • 06/16 Sayreville, NJ [Starland Ballroom] • 06/17 Fredericksburg, VA [KC's] • 06/18 Augusta, GA [Sector 7G] • 06/19 Baton Rouge, LA [The Darkroom] • 06/20 Houston, TX [Java Jazz] • 06/21 San Antonio, TX [The White Rabbit] • 06/23 Gainesville, TX [The State Theatre] • 06/24 Albuquerque, NM [The Compound] • 06/25 Denver, CO [Bluebird Theatre] • 06/26 Cedar City, UT [The Boondocks] • 06/27 Las Vegas, NV [Rock N Java] • 06/28 Fresno, CA [The Belmont] • 06/29 Roseville, CA [The Underground] • 06/30 Lancaster, CA [Cedar Center] • 07/01 Corona, CA [Showcase Theatre] • 07/02 Hollywood, CA [Whisky A Go Go] • 07/03 Phoenix, AZ [The Clubhouse] • 07/20 Denver, CO [The Marquis Theatre] • 07/21 Ogden, UT [Club Boom Va] • 07/22 Boise, ID [The Venue] • 07/23 Tacoma, WA [Hell's Kitchen] • 07/26 Orangevale, CA [Boardwalk] • 07/27 San Diego, CA [Soma] • 07/28 Corona, CA [Showcase Theatre] • 07/29 Victorville, CA [Trilogy Theater] • 07/30 Tempe, AZ [The Clubhouse] • 08/01 San Antonio, TX [The White Rabbit] • 08/03 Houston, TX [Java Jazz] • 08/05 Memphis, TN [Skatepark Of Memphis] • 08/06 Nashville, TN [The Muse]
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06.14.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Prosthetic Records recording artists ALL THAT REMAINS are set to release their new album, "The Fall Of Ideals," on July 11th. The explosive Metal quintet has come to be known for their heavy riffs, memorable hooks and rowdy live shows. Revolver Magazine recently dubbed them "the future of American metal." "People have a certain idea of what this band is, and when they hear the new stuff...it's a new approach to our style," vocalist Phil Labonte says. "It's almost like a new way to look at an old friend." With a desire to continually evolve, yet retain the trademark heavy and technically-skilled sound that All That Remains has established with the band's breakthrough album, 2004's "This Darkened Heart," Labonte and company have done just that with "The Fall Of Ideals." Where the last record found the band intertwining heavy music, virtuoso solos, and unmatchable melody, All That Remains' current collective goal is to build on elements that the last album only hinted at. "Everything we did on 'This Darkened Heart,' we are turning up a notch," Labonte says. "This disc will have some of the most aggressive, and some of the most friendly, pieces of music All That Remains has ever written." After initially forming in 1998 as a side project for Labonte and guitarist Oli Herbert, the band left a stamp on the underground Metal scene with their debut album, 2002's "Behind Silence And Solitude." After bringing in guitarist Mike Martin and releasing "This Darkened Heart" to rave reviews in 2004, All That Remains landed high-profile tours and shows alongside the likes of Gwar, The Crown, Arch Enemy, Darkest Hour, Shadows Fall, Lamb Of God and Slipknot, and toured virtually non-stop. "The Fall Of Ideals" is the culmination of the original ideals, ideas, and elements that All That Remains was initially founded upon. Combining grinding riffs, unrelenting rhythms and the tandem fluidity of Martin and Herbert's shredding alongside Labonte's ever-expanding vocal repertoire of soaring notes and guttural growls, the band has now become everything it has been striving for since its inception. "We're now at the point where we're the band I always wanted to us to be," Labonte says. "Musically, we're capable of doing what I originally wanted to do. As musicians, we can all live up to that goal." All That Remains has an already busy 2006 with appearances on the European leg of the Sounds Of The Underground tour and a stateside run on Ozzfest, as well as headlining duties in the Fall.
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06.13.06 (RockAndMetal.com) THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN release a digital-only EP entitled "Plagiarism" today. The EP -- available exclusively from the iTunes music store -- features 'Unretrofied,' interpretations of Nine Inch Nails' 'Wish,' Massive Attack's 'Angel,' Soundgarden's 'Jesus Christ Pose' and more. On June 27th, the band will release "Miss Machine: The DVD" in North America, which features a collection of behind-the-scenes footage, all the studio videos from "Miss Machine," and live clips spanning that tour. Currently, The Dillinger Escape Plan are playing as direct support to AFI during the first leg of their December Underground Tour. The band will also do several headlining shows with labelmates Dysrhythmia in tow, and will round things out with Coheed And Cambria. Tour Dates: 06/18/06 Rochester, NY [Steel Music Hall] • 06/20/06 Boston, MA [Avalon Ballroom] • 06/22/06 New York, NY [Roseland Ballroom] • 06/23/06 New York, NY [Roseland Ballroom] • 06/24/06 Philadelphia, PA [Electric Factory] • 06/25/06 Washington, DC [Black Cat] • 06/26/06 Portsmouth, VA [Ntelos Pavilion] • 06/28/06 North Myrtle Beach, SC [House Of Blues] • 06/29/06 Atlanta, GA [Masquerade] • 06/30/06 St. Petersburg, FL [State Theatre] • 07/01/06 Orlando, FL [Back Booth] • 07/02/06 Tallahassee, FL [Beta Bar] • 07/05/06 Kansas City, MO [Uptown Theatre] • 07/07/06 Chicago, IL [Vic Theatre] • 07/08/06 Chicago, IL [Vic Theatre] • 07/09/06 Minneapolis, MN [Quest Club] • 07/11/06 Denver, CO [The Fillmore] • 07/13/06 Salt Lake City, UT [Utah State Fair] • 07/15/06 Albuquerque, NM [Launch Pad] • 07/17/06 San Antonio, TX [Sanctuary] • 07/18/06 Houston, TX [Walter's On Washington] • 07/19/06 Dallas, TX [Gypsy Tea Room] • 07/20/06 Austin, TX [Emo's] • 07/21/06 Fayetteville, AR [The Music Hall] • 07/22/06 Des Moines, IA [House Of Bricks] • 07/23/06 Madison, WI [The Annex] • 07/25/06 Lexington, KY [Art's Center] • 07/27/06 Joplin, MO [The Foundry] • 07/28/06 Papillion, NE [The Rock] • 07/29/06 Wichita, KS [Headway Skatepark] • 07/30/06 St. Louis, MO [The Pageant] • 07/31/06 Cleveland, OH [Agora Ballroom] • 08/03/06 Columbus, OH [PromoWest Pavillion] • 08/04/06 Indianapolis, IN [Egyptian Room @ Murat Centre] • 08/05/06 Pittsburgh, PA [Rex Theater] • 08/06/06 Saginaw, MI [Shooter's] • 08/07/06 Grand Rapids, MI [Orbit Room] • 08/08/06 Toledo, OH [Headliner's]
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06.12.06 (RockAndMetal.com) The first confirmed dates of a Fall tour featuring DAYLIGHT DIES along with Katatonia headliners Moonspell have been announced. Set to kick off in Poughkeepsie, New York, more dates for thetour are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Opeth/Soilwork) and mastered by Thomas Eberger at The Cutting Room (Opeth/The Hives), "Dismantling Devotion" is an album filled with quality musicianship that travels a dark and passionate road. Daylight Dies last toured the U.S. in support of Lacuna Coil in 2003. The band are currently working on their first video and preparing for sold-out shows alongside Emperor in mid-July. When Daylight Dies started as a project of Barre Gambling and Jesse Haff in 1996, little did they know the vehicle they created together what would blossom into one of Metal's most promising upstarts. Due to geographical constraints, the formation of the band was actually delayed three years before an initial rough compilation of raw ideas surfaced as "The Long Forgotten Demo." With a vocalist in place, the trio then proceeded to record a second demo in early 2000, "Idle," which further illustrated the band's musical and compositional growth. A year later, a new two-song demo was recorded. Shipped to various labels who had expressed interest early on, the strength of the music alone was enough to land Daylight Dies an offer from Relapse Records, who released Daylight Dies' debut full-length, entitled "No Reply." After a few lineup changes, the band recorded their second full-length album in "Dismantling Devotion" in August of 2005. Tour Dates: 10/20 Poughkeepsie NY [The Loft] • 10/21 Bedford NH [Mark's Place] • 10/22 New York NY [BB Kings Blues Club] • 10/23 Montreal QUE [Medley] • 10/24 Quebec City QUE [L'Imperial] • 10/25 Toronto ON [Opera House] • 10/26 Cleveland OH [Peabody's] • 10/27 Detroit MI [IRock] • 10/28 Mokena IL [Pearl Room] • 10/29 Columbia Heights, MN [Star Central] • 10/31 Aurora CO Iliff [Park Saloon] • 11/02 Seattle WA [Studio Seven] • 11/03 Portland OR [Rock N Roll Pizza] • 11/04 San Francisco CA [Pound @ Pier 96] • 11/06 Anaheim CA [House Of Blues] • 11/11 San Antonio TX [White Rabbit]
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06.12.06 (RockAndMetal.com) ROB ZOMBIE is confirmed to join Godsmack for a 2-month outing across the U.S. The North American tour is set to open August 25th in Dallas, Texas at the Smirnoff Music Center and will run through October 1st. As a showman of colossal proportions, Rob Zombie fans should expect a visual and aural circus of the unexpected on this tour extravaganza. Currently, Rob Zombie's American Witch Tour is slated to start June 30th in El Paso, Texas at the County Coliseum. The single 'American Witch' is the latest track off the recently-released "Educated Horses" album (Geffen Records) and is currently on Billboard's Top 20 Mainstream chart after only six weeks out. The "Educated Horses" LP entered the Billboard Top 200 at #5. Joining Zombie on the American Witch Tour will be Thrash icons Anthrax. In other Rob Zombie news, Dimension Films will make a new "Halloween" movie with Rob Zombie ("House Of 1000 Corpses," "The Devil's Rejects") writing, directing and serving as a producer. "I have been a huge, huge fan of John Carpenter's original film since its release," explains Zombie. "So when Bob Weinstein approached me about this, I jumped at the chance to join forces with Dimension Films on this amazing project." Zombie will also serve as music supervisor on the film. Tour Dates: 08/25 Dallas, TX [Smirnoff Music Center] • 08/26 San Antonio, TX [Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre] • 08/27 Houston, TX [Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion] • 08/29 Atlanta, GA [Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre] • 08/31 Charlotte, NC [Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre] • 09/02 Washington, DC [Nissan Pavilion] • 09/03 Camden, NJ [Tweeter Center] • 09/04 Darien Lakes, NY [Darien Lakes Performing Arts Center] • 09/07 Boston, MA [Tweeter Center] • 09/08 Holmdel, NJ [PNC Bank Arts Center] • 09/09 Wantagh, NY [Jones Beach] • 09/12 Milwaukee, WI [Marcus Amphitheatre] • 09/13 Detroit, MI DTE [Amphitheatre] • 09/15 Indianapolis, IN [Tweeter Center] • 09/16 Chicago, IL [First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre] • 09/17 St. Louis, MO [UMB Bank Pavilion] • 09/19 Kansas City, MO [Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre] • 09/20 Morrison, CO [Red Rocks Amphitheatre] • 09/22 Las Vegas, NV [Theatre Under The Stars] • 09/23 Phoenix, AZ [Cricket Pavilion] • 09/24 Albuquerque, NM [Journal Pavilion] • 09/27 Seattle, WA [White River Amphitheatre] • 09/29 Sacramento, CA [Sleep Train Amphitheatre] • 09/30 Irvine, CA [Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre] • 10/01 Concord, CA [Sleep Train Pavilion]

06.09.06 (RockAndMetal.com) HAMMERFALL guitarist Oscar Dronjak has posted the following update on his official blog: "The 19th European Athletics Championships are being held in Gothenburg in August, and we were going to shoot a video together with a couple of the Swedish athletes - much like we did with the curling team (who went on to win the Olympic gold medal, I might add), only with a specially written, previously unreleased track. The athletes were Robert Kronberg (110 meter hurdles), Alhaji Jeng (pole vault), Johan Wissman (200 meters) and Kajsa Bergqvist (high jump). Robert especially had been looking forward to this for a long time, apparently, and seemed to enjoy every minute of the long day. He played drums in a few takes (!), and rocked for all he was worth, as did the others. I'm sure it will be a really funny video! The highlight of the day for me was definitely the opportunity to do a couple of high jumps. That was always my best sport in school, and I haven't tried it since then. 1.45 meters posed no problem at all, and neither did 1.55, but when I raised the bar another ten centimeters, my body said: 'You know what, brotha, even all my little Hulkamaniacs couldn't force me to get up and jump now' (Why my body sounds like Hulk Hogan, I'll never know). Too tired from last night's drinking and not enough sleep -- that's what I told myself at least -- I could muster one proper jump but no more. Determined to clear the height later, I let it rest. For a while. After lunch, I felt ready to attack the bar again, and just barely missed. Kajsa Bergqvist, most likely the best female high jumper in the world came over to the mat. I was kind of nervous, not only because she has won virtually everything there is to win and is the current world record holder indoors (2.08 meters), but also because I've always admired her. ;-) She gave me some helpful advice, and then I tried it again. Wouldn't you know it, I practically sailed over the bar (I touched it a little, but it stayed in place)! Clearing 1.65 meters wearing stage clothes and only socks, I was quite proud of that effort! I have posted a video of one of the first jumps in the video section here on MySpace: Hammerfall recently entered the studio to begin recording the follow-up to 2005's "Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken," tentatively due this Fall. Song titles set to appear on the album include 'Carved In Stone,' 'Titan,' 'Dark Wings, Dark Words,' 'Shadow Empire,' 'Rebel Inside,' 'Threshold,' 'The Fire Burns Forever,' 'Howlin' With The Pac,' and 'Natural High.'
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06.08.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Guitar virtuoso Luca Turilli, best known for his work as lead guitarist, co-composer and co-founder of film score Metal band Rhapsody, presents himself with his new band, LUCA TURILLI'S DREAMQUEST this weekend in Europe with the album "Lost Horizons," which is being released through Magic Circle Music. The album will also be released in the United States and Canada on July 18th. Not wishing this to be viewed just as a side project, Turilli asserts that Dreamquest is an additional outlet for the abundance of overflowing musical ideas from the prolific composer. And fear not, Rhapsody fans, as Dreamquest -- an entirely separate band -- will not interfere with Rhapsody's progress. The band's debut album, "Lost Horizons" introduces a new style and technique to Luca Turilli's already mighty repertoire, enriched by modern elements: new metal, opera, techno-electronic music and gothic-symphonic atmospheres. The album displays Turilli's previously unknown ability to call forth majestic tones from the keyboard. The unique sounds produced by his instrumentation bring forth musical landscapes and haunting melodies, invoking images of epic tales. Turilli's passion for the keyboard is clear, since before founding Rhapsody with keyboardist Alex Staropoli, he had studied piano. However, Rhapsody's immediate success had encouraged Luca Turilli to focus his efforts on the guitar, an instrument that he had already mastered. Three years ago, he felt inspired to return to the keyboard - influenced by the melancholic melodies of great artists such as Chopin and Alexander Scriabin. Luca Turilli's Dreamquest gives the composer an opportunity to unleash the pianist inside of him. Dreamquest is simply the fulfillment of a dream that Luca Turilli has had in mind for many years, and is looking forward to the opportunity to perform Dreamquest material in a live forum as soon as possible. The music on "Lost Horizons" combines powerful Metal instrumentation with angelic, operatic, female vocals to create a sound that might best be described as "Symphonic Electro-Metal." The first single, 'Virus,' is a prime example of the majestic musical flavor that Dreamquest is made of, while the operatic 'Sospiro Divino' showcases the boundless possibilities presented by this exciting new band. Although favorable comparisons to popular acts are inevitable, Luca Turilli's Dreamquest is a fresh and unique experience in the world of Symphonic Metal.
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06.07.06 (RockAndMetal.com) SCUM OF THE EARTH have begun writing new material for their next album for Eclipse Records. The strong Rob Zombie influence that one hears in the band's material is no coincidence, as the the modern Rock/Metal outfit is led by Riggs, the in-your-face singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer who is well-known known for the six years he spent previously in Rob Zombie's employ. In 1998, Riggs appeared in the Rob Zombie video for 'Return Of The Phantom Stranger' playing a guitar adorned with a jagged carving that read, "Scum Of The Earth" - words that are also tattooed on his stomach. Scum Of The Earth is the name of Riggs' publishing company as well. "I always thought it was the coolest name for a band since I was a kid. There was that movie 'Scum Of The Earth,' and I had some of these great 'Scum Of The Earth' comic books I really liked." And so that's how the debut solo outing from Riggs, became Scum of the Earth. His current album, "Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs For The New Millennium," is built around high-propulsion riffs, mechanized beats, growling vocals and horror film soundbytes. Throughout, songs like the carnivalesque 'Get Your Dead On' and the surging 'I Am The Scum' illustrate the type of dynamic, granite-solid musicianship Riggs exhibited for six years with Zombie. "I'm really proud of the work I did with Rob, so I don't mind being compared to him. As long as people don't say Scum sounds like something that sucks," Riggs jokes. "But I did want to do things a little different, so I threw on a couple of acoustic songs that I've had around forever, 'Little Spider' and 'Give Up Your Ghost' so it's not all in-your-face, bash, bash, bash." Most of the songs on "Blah...Blah...Blah...Love Songs For The New Millennium" were written by Riggs over the past decade, and stored on his computer for a stormy night. Then, when Rob Zombie decided to put his music career on hold to focus on making horror movies, Riggs found himself with extra time on his hands. At the behest of a dedicated fan, he hooked up with some old friends -- including bassist Clay Others and former Powerman 5000 guitarist Mike Tempesta -- from which Scum Of The Earth was unearthed. "There was a girl who had a Riggs fan site that I had gotten to know over the years," Riggs says. "She called me to see what I was doing, and I said, 'Nothing.' Two days later, she sent me a list of all these record companies that were interested in what I was up to, so I just dumped some stuff off my computer in my room and sent it to them and they liked it."
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06.06.06 (RockAndMetal.com) BLUDGEON's new "World Controlled" album is set to be released at the beginning of next week in Europe, and next month on July 18th in the U.S. and Canada. Bludgeon are a unique modern Metal entity from Chicago not afraid to cause mayhem. The first act signed to Magic Circle Music, the band take extreme metal by the balls and doesn't let go. "World Controlled," their sophomore album, is a brutal assault on the senses that is sure to leave a lasting impression on fans of Death, Thrash, Hardcore and Speed Metal alike. Bludgeon has earned several distinctions in their relatively young career. When Manowar bassist and Magic Circle Music founder Joey DeMaio discovered the band, he agreed to produce their debut album, "Crucify The Priest" -- an honor never before bestowed upon a band other than his own -- and signed them to his label. The Bludgeon beast is no stranger to touring, either. Having performed at the Metal Meltdown III in Asbury Park, NJ and as support act to Manowar on the Warriors Of The World Tour 2002, they are a band with a plan to spread the Metal. On "World Controlled," Bludgeon further evolve the sound and attitude that helped them to make such an impressive start. By incorporating Hardcore influences into an already powerful Death/Thrash Metal sound, the band have reached a new level of anger and brutality. Vocalist/guitarist Mark Duca explains: "I always write what I feel; half the record was written when I was going through pain and suffering. But I don't see that as a bad thing." Songs like 'Carnage Begins' and 'Consumed By Anger' illustrate the thoughts and feelings of a band that faces the challenges of everyday life with the aggression and persistence needed to come out on top. "You have to suffer to move forward. It's like you have to prove how faithful you are." Bludgeon has not only grown musically, but the lineup has also changed. That evolution was not an easy process, but it truly helped to shape the lyrics and themes of "World Controlled." "The band was going through personal problems with the lineup change when I was writing the lyrics," says Duca. "I felt like people were trying to control me and that is where the album title comes from. You might go through changes, but Bludgeon will always stay true to metal." "World Controlled" also contains approximately 20 minutes of video footage showcasing the Bludgeon production cycle.
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06.05.06 (RockAndMetal.com) 24 years after the release of their live classic "The Eagle Has Landed I" (1982), and 10 years after "The Eagle Has Landed II" (1996), Steamhammer/SPV Recordings will release SAXON's brand-new live album, "The Eagle Has Landed Pt. III" this week in Europe (June 27th in the U.S.), featuring the first recordings with drummer Nigel Glockler, who has returned to the Saxon fold following an extended creative break. In other words, "The Eagle Has Landed Pt. III" was recorded by two different line-ups: the cuts from 2004 feature drummer Jorg Michael, the 2005 material presents Nigel Glockler. Consisting, next to Glocker, of founding members, Biff Byford (vocals) and Paul Quinn (guitar) plus the long-serving Nibbs Carter (bass) and Doug Scarratt (guitar), Saxon are still one of the hottest live Hard Rock and Metal acts around. The double album will be released in a top-value digi-pack. Disc 1 contains many of the classics from the band's early years up to 1984, including the release of their landmark album, Crusader. Disc 2 features the most important songs from the recent past, starting with tracks from their 1991 comeback release, "Solid Ball Of Rock," and ending with material from Lionheart (2004) with one exception - 'Broken Heroes' from their 1985 recording, "Innocence Is No Excuse." "The Eagle Has Landed Pt. III" features an extensive set list with numerous tracks that Saxon haven't performed in a long time and that many of their fans have never heard live before. "The Eagle Has Landed Pt. III" Track Listing: Disc 1: 1. This Town Rocks • 2. Backs To The Wall • 3. Redline • 4. Stand Up And Be Counted • 5. Never Surrender • 6. Frozen Rainbow • 7. Suzie Hold On • 8. Play It Loud • 9. Warrior • 10. See The Lights Shining • 11. To Hell And Back Again • 12. Stallions Of The Highway • 13. Wheels Of Steel • 14. And The Bands Played On • 15. Crusader Disc 2: 1. The Return • 2. Lionheart • 3. Man & Machine • 4. Beyond The Grave • 5. Searching For Atlantis • 6. To Live By The Sword Pt. I • 7. Unleash The Beast • 8. To Live By The Sword Pt. II • 9. Flying On The Edge • 10. Jack Tars • 11. English Man 'O' War • 12. Court Of The Crimson King • 13. Broken Heroes • 14. Dragon's Lair • 15. Rock Is Our Life • 16. Travellers Time • 17. Solid Ball Of Rock
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06.05.06 (VNU Media) Rocker-turned-filmmaker ROB ZOMBIE is resurrecting Michael Myers, one of the big screen's favorite horror villains. Zombie will write and direct a new "Halloween" movie, serving up what is being called as a brand-new vision for the long-running horror series. He will also serve as a producer and a music supervisor on the film. An October 2007 release is being planned. Disney's Miramax Films will co-finance the development with former Miramax chiefs Bob and Harvey Weinstein's Dimension Films. The movie will not be a sequel or a straight-ahead remake of the 1978 original -- which helped director John Carpenter cement his name in the horror business -- but a reimagining that will infuse new blood into the Myers story. "The look and the feel is going to be completely different," Zombie said in an interview. "'Halloween' started off as a very terrifying concept, a terrifying movie. But over the years, Michael Myers has become a friendly Halloween mask. When it came to the point where you could buy a Michael Myers doll that was cute-looking and press its stomach and play the 'Halloween' theme, you knew the scare factor was gone. "But I think the story and the situation is scary. All it needed was someone to come in and to take a totally different approach to make it scary again. To me, that's the challenge and that's the fun." Needless to say, the movie will not pay heed to the numerous sequels. The last Halloween film, "Halloween: H20," came out in 1998. "Everything that has come before does not figure into this one," Zombie said. "That series is done." And while Zombie aims to keep the scares and the character more real, the mask will remain. "That's an iconic image that can't go away," he said. Zombie wrote and directed "House of 1000 Corpses" and last year's "The Devil's Rejects," which proved to be extremely profitable theatrically and on DVD. A lot of horror movies have been thrown his way, but he wanted to be choosy when it came to his third film. Zombie is a fan of the original and said he sought Carpenter's blessing. "He said, 'That's awesome, go for it,"' Zombie said. "He was very supportive, which I thought was very important. I feel like 'Halloween' is his baby, and I wanted to be very respectful."

06.02.06 (RockAndMetal.com) Canadian Extreme Metallers STRAPPING YOUNG LAD are ready to return next month with "The New Black," a stunningly well-defined and diverse effort that is soon to be a landmark in the epic pantheon of modern Metal. The much-anticipated new album is set for a July 11th release and the group, led by singer, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend, have redefined their sound - creating what is soon to be the definitive offering of their already stellar career. SYL recently shot a new video for the track 'Wrong Side' with renowned director David Brodsky (God Forbid, The Red Chord), which will make its television debut late next month. Click the link below for an early sample of "The New Black," and hear why Strapping Young Lad think you suck. The album, mixed by the renowned Mike Fraser (Aerosmith, Metallica), is a thoroughly entertaining roller coaster encompassing a stunning blend of musical technicality, undeniable melodies, and an abundance of shredding guitar solos, all backed with humorous-yet-intelligent lyrics. The U.S. touring campaign for "The New Black" kicks off when the band hits the second stage at Ozzfest alongside such acclaimed acts as Atreyu, Bleeding Through and Unearth, among others. Townsend further describes his excitement over being a part of Ozzfest and sheds some light on their new disc: "We were very inspired with the idea of doing Ozzfest, and the concept we are running with on this record is really based around abhorring the current music scene, yet being a part of it in some weird way. Strapping Young Lad are ready to be a subversive product for the unwitting 14-year-olds to scream along with." Back in April, Devin Townsend made some classic comments regarding the band's inclusion in this year's Ozzfest by saying: "We also intend to sprinkle a little ugly around all the pretty bands this year. You can think of us as the proverbial pubic hair in the cheesecake of this year's festival. We are ugly, large and angry. We have also been around longer as a band than 90% of the other bands. Most of all, we're just really excited to be a part of Ozzfest, and this summer is going to be crazy. See you all soon." Century Media also just re-released Strapping Young Lad's 1995 debut album, "Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing," which really pushed the Extreme Metal envelope back then. The re-issue features a remastered version of this classic debut, 4 bonus tracks, the 'SYL' video, and a 12-page booklet with extended liner notes from Devin Townsend himself.
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06.01.06 (RockAndMetal.com) NAPALM DEATH vocalist Barney Greenway has checked in with the following recording studio update: "Hello everyone. As you may have heard, we are back in Wales at Foel recording the next Napalm album (this place is fast becoming our favourite place to record!) Really, this thing is sounding absolutely immense. If you liked 'Code...' you'll really love this one, i think. We absolutely busted our arses to get everything ready, and the rest of the band really pulled out the stops to make some great, grinding music, with Russ Russell working wonders once again to produce that ND 'wall of sound'. I also have to mention Chris Fielding, the in-house engineer, who has also made a great contribution to the proceedings. I can give you some more titles right now (everything, including the ones you had before, are definite): 'Rabid Wolves (For Christ),' 'In Deference,' 'Atheist Runt,' 'When All Is Said And Done,' 'Sink Fast, Let Go,' and tons more. The lyrical debate is perhaps for later but, generally speaking, the album is (hopefully) a deep critique of religion and religious governance/restrictions from an atheist perspective. All jolly stuff, then. And the music: still fast and furious, raging riffs and a couple more Swans-style tracks this time (like 'Morale'), only progressed a bit more with even more atmosphere and a more rounded melodic vocal performance (if I may say so myself) Anneke from Dutch band The Gathering has offered up a few parts to a track, which I've yet to hear. But before some people recoil in horror about Napalm going operatic rock or whatever, this was done for good effect and relevance to the track. It will work. It will rock. I'm sure. And we're grateful to Anneke (who is a an awesome vocalist in her own right) in advance for giving it a stab. Studio events: Russ threw up in Chris Fiedling's car after a night on the sauce, Dave the studio owner decided to shovel the sewage out of the septic tank right in the middle of a vocal session (barf!) and, on a more serious note, I ran over a badger on the single-track road around here. Nothing I could do to avoid him, but mortified nevertheless. Oh, and Jeff Walker [ex-Carcass] turned up in his capacity as master-ligger. We didn't let him sing this time though, and just poked fun at him really. Ok, onwards and upwards. Peace and that." Barney, ND
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[Metal News: May 2006]
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